Storage Engines

MySQL® for Developers | © MySQL AB 2009

Storage Engines

MySQL
Database Management Level
Storage engines are MySQL

Parse Optimize
Retrieve components that handle the SQL

Store
MySQL Server uses a pluggable
storage engine architecture that
Pluggable Storage Engines

enables storage engines to be

loaded into and unloaded from a
MyISAM InnoDB MySQL Memory Other ... running MySQL server.
Cluster

Storage Engines 20.2 SQL Parser and Storage Engines

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MySQL® for Developers | © MySQL AB 2009

Storage Engines and MySQL

• Can choose specific storage engine when creating a table

• Best fit for your application

• Each have different characteristics and implications

Storage Engines 20.3 Storage Engines and MySQL

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MySQL® for Developers | © MySQL AB 2009

Setting the Storage Engine

• Specify engine using CREATE TABLE

- MySQL uses system default engine if not specified

• Change engine for existing table with

ALTER TABLE
• Examples
CREATE TABLE t (i INT) ENGINE = InnoDB;

ALTER TABLE t ENGINE = InnoDB;

Storage Engines 20.3 Storage Engines and MySQL

MYISAM
Advantages:
• Storage up to 256 TB (Useful in archiving)
• Fast
• Support Full Text Search (Useful for Articles if table is not related to any other table)
• High Performance

Disadvantages:
• No caching for data
• No support for Foreign Key
• No support for Relational Database
• No Transactions for related tables
InnoDB
Advantages:
• Accept Foreign Key
• Support Full Text Search (starting from5.6.4)
• Accept updates in transactions between related tables
• Accept Cash
• Default Engine

Disadvantages:
• Storage 64 TB
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MySQL® for Developers | © MySQL AB 2009

Storage Engines Available on Server

• View available storage engines…

SHOW ENGINES\G
************************ 1. row ***************************
Engine: MyISAM
Support: DEFAULT
Comment: Default engine as of MySQL 3.23 with great
performance

************************* 2. row ***************************

Engine: InnoDB
Support: YES
Comment: Supports transactions, row-level locking, foreign
keys

Storage Engines 20.3 Storage Engines and MySQL